


gravity

by moo_lan



Series: KenHina Week 2020 [1]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Fluff, Height Differences, KenHina Week, KenHina Week 2020, M/M, Post-Time Skip
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-18
Updated: 2020-05-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 05:47:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24249784
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/moo_lan/pseuds/moo_lan
Summary: After Brazil, Shouyou is taller than Kenma. Not that he notices.KenHina week, Day 1: Tickle/Time Skip/ Dour
Relationships: Hinata Shouyou/Kozume Kenma
Series: KenHina Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1750420
Comments: 4
Kudos: 111
Collections: Kenhina week 2020





	gravity

**Author's Note:**

> Beta read by the amazing TheOwlPost!!

Whatever God is up there, Kenma must’ve angered him, because that was the only possible explanation for what was before him. In fact, beside him and trembling with restrained nervous energy. Sighing deeply, Kenma raised his eyes to the despotic sun above him; the stifling air did nothing to quell his annoyance. 

Who had decided that it was fine to make Shouyou taller than him?

At his side, the ginger was telling him excitedly about Brazil— the sea, the sand and whatnot—but Kenma was finding it very difficult to concentrate when the height difference made it necessary for him to lean back his head - just slightly - to look at Shouyou. How had the other managed to survive this long when he’d needed to stare up at others? How had he not _murdered_ people when his short stature was seen by most people as something to mock and ridicule?

Hinata momentarily turned his head to look at him, his features bright and guileless, then shifted his gaze back at the road in front of them. His hair shimmered in the sunlight.

Oh. That’s why.

With Kenma’s head inclined so, the angle was perfect for the scorching sunlight to fully illuminate his face and his expression. He terribly missed the comfort of staring down at his feet and hiding his face with his bangs, yet he didn’t shift his gaze from his companion. Shouyou was still talking, oblivious to Kenma’s distracted state.

“- and then we watched One Piece, but it wasn’t in Japanese so-” he rambled on, but abruptly stopped when he accidentally met Kenma’s eyes. “Kenma?”

“Hm?” Shouyou really was like the sun. Effulgent. His hair was as bright as a beacon and Kenma found it impossible to look away. A thought seemed to hit Shouyou, because his eyes were all at once wide and unblinking, fixed to Kenma’s. In moments like these, it really was impossible to look away. For both of them.

“Why’d you sponsor me?”

The air was stifling and sweltering around him; cicada cries filled the air. Kenma still hadn’t looked away. It was hard to think clearly when one’s brain felt close to melting. His shirt stuck to his back and he decided that he wanted to go back inside.

A dismissive _Who knows…_ was on the tip of his tongue, but Kenma swallowed it and instead smirked, channelling the influence Kuroo had had on him over the years.

“‘Cause you’re interesting,” he murmured, and it was because he was still maintaining eye contact with Shouyou that he saw the exact moment that his eyes widened in surprise and joy.

It must’ve been very hot outside, because Shouyou’s face had a reddish hue to it. His lips quirked up in a grin and it was contagious: Kenma found himself smiling too.

“Want to go back inside?” The cicadas’ cries were deafening.

“ _Yes._ ” The answer was quick and breathed out.

“That was decisive,” laughed Shouyou. There was a flash of excitement, and suddenly he was bouncing on the spot like an excited kid. He pointed to a building across the road. “Look, Kenma! Ice cream! Let’s go!”

Grinning widely, he took Kenma’s hand and started walking towards the small shop. His palm was sticky and it was way too warm for holding hands, but the blond didn’t let go. When Shouyou smiled at him and squeezed, Kenma mirrored the gesture.

Cool air welcomed them when they stepped inside the cafe. Weirdly enough, it was almost empty inside; it seemed that no-one except Shouyou was hardcore enough to brave the oppressive heat. Kenma didn’t count himself as resilient- he’d just been caught up, as usual, in the gravitational pull of Hinata Shouyou. 

Not that he’d ever fought it. He’d given up on fighting the current over six years ago, when Shouyou had been staring at him, wide and unblinking, then proceeded to yell that he’d win the volleyball game next time.

Shouyou was next to him, tapping the counter restlessly with one hand. The other was still gripping Kenma’s.

“Kenma, which flavour are you getting?” he inquired, his eyes fixed on the colourful display of ice cream as he spoke.

“Apple pie.”

“Really, they have that?” Shouyou’s head abruptly whipped around so he could stare at Kenma. Reminding himself that he wasn’t in high school anymore, the blonde gulped and didn’t look away. Anxiety no longer dictated his decisions. If he wanted, he would be free to stare into Shouyou’s brown eyes for however long he-

Shouyou looked away. Pulled his hand from Kenma’s to scratch the back of his head.

Cold spread on the walls of his stomach and a quick glance showed him that Shouyou was still avoiding his gaze. Kenma pushed away the feeling and moved his attention to the display before them.

“What’re you getting?” inquired the blond.

“Hm…” The sound was dragged out. Shouyou kept staring at the display and Kenma tried to catch his eye. His characteristically slouched position didn’t help with the height difference.

“Shouyou, when did you get taller?” 

It was out before he knew it. Shouyou looked at him, surprised.

“I’m taller?” He probably had no idea that his eyes were sparkling. “Aren’t we the same height?”

A quick check proved that Shouyou was forty five millimetres taller than Kenma. Glee overcame the ginger’s features and his companion unconsciously smiled too; Shouyou’s excitement really did have a gravitational pull.

In the end, Shouyou chose a weird cabbage flavour for his ice cream. It was disgusting, but he refused to admit it- which was very amusing to Kenma, who, after teasingly asking him if he liked it, gave him his apple pie-flavoured one.

After half an hour of stalling, an apologetic employee came to their table and told them that they were closing early that day. There was no choice to make. They had to go back outside to brave the sweltering air.

And so, they found themselves in the middle of the empty secondary street, the concrete radiating heat through the soles of their feet; Kenma felt close to collapsing, and it had only been a minute.

Subtly glancing at his companion, he noticed that Shouyou seemed utterly unbothered by it. All that time in Brazil must’ve gotten him used to extreme temperatures. The ginger was oddly silent. All of a sudden, the foreign impulse to strike a conversation took control of Kenma. Really, what was going on with him? Had the heat finally gotten the better of him?

“So, I’ve heard you got a nickname,” he grinned and Shouyou fidgeted under his gaze. Kenma loved seeing him squirm- it was one of the things which he’d developed over the years of his continued friendship with Shouyou. Highschooler Kenma would’ve been annoyed with his current personality. But then again, high schooler Kenma was annoyed with almost everybody. 

“Yeah! They're calling me ‘Ninja Shouyou’!” The volleyball player wasn’t fidgeting anymore, but _vibrating_ instead. His elation was palpable- he’d wanted an awesome sobriquet for so many years, after all.

“That’s a cool nickname,” smiled Kenma, and he hadn’t said it only because he’d known it would cause his companion rapture. He really believed it. The boss who’d defeated him at Nationals deserved the best nickname there was.

Vibration had first increased into trembling, then bouncing. Shouyou was really easy to make happy; he was a bright person by nature.

“Kenma!” he exclaimed, although he already had the other’s full attention. Moments went past and he said nothing- apparently he hadn’t decided what it was that he wanted to say. His inner conflict quite obviously flitted across his face as he hesitated. 

Then, resolution flooded his features and he was suddenly stepping closer and gripping Kenma’s shoulders, unabashedly invading his personal space.

“Kenma!” he exclaimed once again, and he really should stop doing that because it was doing weird things to Kenma’s stomach.

“...Yeah?”

Taking a deep breath, Shouyou tightened his hold on Kenma’s shoulders.

“You’re my boss fight!” he shouted, and his face was red behind the deep tan that he’d gotten in the two years he’d been gone.

Heat flooded Kenma’s face, and he had to remind himself again that he wasn’t a highschooler anymore. Not that he’d ever had the uncontrollable impulse to excitedly shriek before in high school. He dimly wondered if his companion had been able to read his mind all this time but said nothing. How else would he have been able to perfectly mirror seventeen-year-old Kenma’s thoughts?

“... You too,” he breathed and then steeled himself. He was _not_ a highschooler. _Why the hell were there butterflies in his stomach, what were they doing there and why-_ **Not a highschooler.** He tried to grin smugly, but it was forced and brittle. 

_Oh, fuck this._

He grabbed Shouyou’s hand. The boy jolted in surprise, then smiled widely. Kenma’s stomach flopped like a fish jumping out of the water, desperate for air. Would he regret this later? He hoped not.

Prudently orbiting Hinata Shouyou’s gravitational field lines had been cast aside in favour of entering a collision course towards him.

And Kenma couldn’t have been happier.


End file.
